1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a removeable and tiltable vehicle hood ornament. More particularly, this invention relates to a device which can be used with the ornament currently used on the vehicle and which retains the safety factor created by the tiltability of the ornament while creating an additional security to the owner of the vehicle by creating the ability to easily and quickly remove the ornament when leaving the vehicle unattended, thus to prevent the possibility of someone stealing the ornament.
2. Prior Art
The prior art has described various types of tiltable vehicle hood ornaments and removeable vehicle hood ornaments. Illustrative of the prior art devices are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,813,113 to Burnham; 3,968,977 to Wilfert; 4,349,591 to Kanamori; 4,400,417 to Kanamori et al 4,560,597 to Kanamori; 4,913,941 to Tedrahn and 5,002,251 to Kranenberg. British Patent No. 1,133,297 to Ancliff is also illustrative of the tiltable vehicle hood ornament.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,113 to Burnham illustrates a retractable ornament.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,977 to Wilfert describes a tiltable radiator figure. The device comprises a radiator figure or emblem which is pivotably mounted within a recess provided in the engine hood permitting a tilting of the radiator figure into the recess.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,591 to Kanamori describes a tiltable ornament constructed out of a synthetic resin. A prior art tiltable ornament is also described.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,417 to Kanamori shows a tiltable ornament. The device comprises an ornament and a base mounted upon the vehicle. The base extends down into the vehicle wherein a coil spring and split pin assembly are attached to the ornament which allows for the tilting of the ornament.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,597 to Kanamori describes a tiltable ornament whereupon the tilting assembly, a coil spring and split pin is mounted through the ornament and does not extend through the surface of the vehicle upon which it is mounted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,941 to Tedrahn describes a removeable hood ornament. The device comprises an ornament mounted on one end of a shaft. The ornament is mounted onto the hood through the use of a key member on the opposite end of the shaft which is rotated to lock the ornament in position and to unlock the ornament. The key member fits into the keyhole in a base mounted on the hood, thus rigidly mounting the ornament to the hood.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,251 to Kranenberg describes a retaining device for a hood ornament which allows for the removal of the ornament. The device comprises an ornament mounted on a rigid friction rod, and a retaining assembly. The retaining assembly consists of a retaining disc, a spring, a spring base disc, an actuator cable and a cable ferrule. The rigid friction rod is inserted into the retaining assembly and enters an aperture of the retaining disc which guides and directs the rod end through the center of the spring and into an aperture of the spring base disc. The pulling force exerted on the actuator cable causes the ferrule to exert a downward eccentric pressure on the retaining disc, when subjected to such off-center pressure, the retaining disc is pulled down in a fashion causing an edge of the retaining disc to tilt into the rigid friction rod.
British Pat. No. 1,133,297 to Ancliff shows a tiltable vehicle ornament. The device comprises an ornament, a base, a spring and a rod. The ornament is mounted onto the base through the use of the spring and the flexibility of the spring allows the ornament to tilt when a force is applied. The rod is connected to the ornament and is used to prevent damage to the spring due to over exertion.
Although the above devices are adequate, there remains the need for a device which combines the ability to remove the ornament with the necessary tiltability to retain the safety aspects of the ornament. The present invention enables the owner to easily remove the ornament when leaving the vehicle unattended. The detached section of the device is compact and self-contained and is therefore able to be carried in a pocket or a purse or even left within the vehicle.